Methods, apparatuses, and reactors for gas separation

ABSTRACT

Methods, apparatuses, and reactors to extract and purify gases from a mixed gas stream by way of a phase-conversion membrane ( 2000 ) that selectively chemical converts, absorbs, adsorbs, or dissolves a desired component gas from the mixed stream into a second phase and then chemically reconverts, desorbs, or releases the desired component gas from the second phase in purified form.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/471,624, filed May 19, 2003, by Michael Trachtenberg, entitled Reactor Design and Method for Gas Separation, which provisional application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

1. FIELD

This invention relates to methods, apparatuses, and reactors employing a phase-conversion membrane to facilitate mass transport of a substance from a first phase to a second phase thereby purifying the substance. More specifically, the invention relates to methods, apparatuses, and reactors employing a phase-conversion membrane comprising an enzymatic catalyst to facilitate selective transport of a desired component gas from a gas phase to a solution phase thereby isolating the desired component gas.

2. BACKGROUND

Traditional techniques to separate and isolate components from mixed or gas steam include those based on the differing physical or chemical properties of the stream's components. For example, certain chemical separation techniques involve treatment of the fluid stream with chemicals such as amines, iron sponge, etc. Physical separation techniques include immiscible liquid-liquid extraction, cryogenic techniques, and gas-liquid and gas-solid sorptive techniques (e.g. pressure swing adsorption). Unfortunately, such techniques do not readily allow separation of stream components having similar physical or chemical properties. A further disadvantage is that such techniques generally are not useful to isolate gases that are present in low concentrations in the mixed stream.

Gas streams can also be separated by surface tension using spray towers, waterfall towers and gas-injection towers. But because of surface-tension effects, the fluid assumes a spherical shape and coalesces. The coalescing adversely affects surface-to-volume ratio and necessitates greater overall contact volume and contact time for separation. A further disadvantage is that the fluid streams can foam and exhibit channeling as they move through the reactor, further reducing reactor efficiency.

Other traditional separation techniques involve selective mass transport through inert membranes. A. S. Michaels, New Vistas For Membrane Technology, 19 CHEMTECH 160-172 (1989); R. E. Babcock et al., Natural Gas Cleanup: A Comparison of Membrane and Amine Treatment Processes, 8 ENERGY PROG. 135-142 (1988). Newer technologies focus on inert semi-permeable membranes. R. W. Spillman, Economics of Gas Separation Membranes, 85 CHEM. ENGR. PROG. 41-62 (1989).

In partition reactors, the discrete phases—gas and gas, gas and liquid and liquid and liquid—are commonly separated by a separation membrane. The separation membrane is generally a mechanical partition, such as a polymer or metal material. The separation membrane commonly has properties such as solution diffusion parameters of pore size and shape so that it acts as a selective filter. Unfortunately, conventional membrane systems generally cannot achieve complete separation. R. W. Spillman, Economics of Gas Separation Membranes, 85 CHEM. ENGR. PROG. 41-62 (1989).

Partition-type reactors can also be designed that use hollow fibers to effect separation based on relative fluid volatilities using hollow fibers. Such hollow fibers can be nonporous or microporous. For example, Jensvold, U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,097, discloses a hollow fiber reactor featuring an internally staged permeator wherein the permeate, derived from the bore-side feed of a first tube set, if not captured directly, serves as the shell-side feed to a second tube set.

In partition reactors employing hollow fibers, the fibers can have a wide variety of orientations and relationships. For example, the fibers can have parallel, orthogonal, concentric, or radial orientations. The hollow fibers can be formed into fiber mats or wafers, wherein the fibers can be oriented at any of a number of angles and array patterns. Hollow fiber processes are generally applied to separate fluid streams where all the components are gases. J. Jensvold, U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,097 (issued Nov. 28, 2000); R. Nichols et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,081 (issued Nov. 17, 1992).

The traditional gas-separation techniques described above commonly exhibit one or more of the following problems: they are energy inefficient, only moderately specific, and slow (particularly in the desorption phase). They are only effective on a relatively pure feedstock, depend on a significant pressure head, and, in many cases, they employ environmentally harmful or toxic substances.

The requirement for a relatively-pure-feedstock is one of the most prevalent and difficult problems. For example, often, certain of the stream's component gases are desirable for certain end uses. Where cost-efficient separation requires an enriched feedstock use of the techniques discussed above results in a geographical restriction to available feed sources where such component is present in higher concentration in more pure feed sources. These feed-source locations may be distant from the end-use location. Consequently, the costs of transporting the desired purified component after separation may be prohibitively high.

Biological catalysts (e.g., enzymes) present several advantages when used in separation technologies including enhanced efficiency, speed, and selectivity. Further, they are environmentally friendly and biodegradable and can be used at moderate temperatures and pressures, enhancing safety. There are reports describing the use of carbonic anhydrase to convert carbon dioxide in aqueous solution to bicarbonate. But use of such enzymatic processes to commercially isolate gases from mixed streams is impractical because of the low surface-to-volume ratios and low gas-liquid contact surface areas in the currently known processes.

Prior use of enzymes has focused very largely on the food processing industry, cleansing or detergent applications, or processing of sewage. Industrial applications in the gas field have been limited. Prior application of enzymes to gas extraction are found in patents to Bonaventura et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,761,209 and 4,602,987 and Henley and Chang U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,780. Bonaventura uses membranes impregnated with carbonic anhydrase to facilitate transport of carbon dioxide across a membrane into water in an underwater re-breathing apparatus.

Despite some significant advantages, a variety of problems have limited the application of enzymes in industrial settings. These include short lifetime of either free or immobilized enzyme, fouling and biofouling, separation of the enzyme from the immobilization surface, limited availability of enzymes in sufficient quantity, and expense of manufacture. These problems have resulted in relatively few efforts to use enzymes for manipulation of gases. Further, physical/chemical means are in place commercially, they are understood and represent established technology and significant investment.

Accordingly there is a need for improved methods, apparatuses and reactors that provide efficient fluid separation or enrichment and are environmentally friendly, selective, and can isolate components present in low concentrations from relatively impure feed stocks.

3. SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the invention relates to methods, apparatuses, and reactors to extract and purify gases from mixed gas streams or feed streams by way of a phase-conversion membrane that selectively absorbs a desired component gas from a mixed stream and coverts it into a second phase thereby isolating and purifying the desired component.

The feed stream can be any mixture of gases such as air, flue gas or other combustion source, or natural gas so long as the desired gas to be separated is selectively absorbed, chemically converted, or otherwise rendered more soluble in the phase-conversion membrane than are the other components.

In one embodiment, the invention is directed to methods, apparatuses, and reactors useful for separating a desired component gas from a mixed feed stream by subjecting the mixed stream to: (a) a partition membrane to effect a first-stage separation (b) a second-stage purification by way of a phase-conversion membrane to isolate the desired component gas from the other components by converting it to a different phase, for example, a solution phase, while the other non-desired gas components remain in the gas phase, (c) a desorption step, where the desired component gas is released from the second phase in purified form, and (d) a second partition membrane, after which the purified gas is collected or subjected to further manipulations. When microporous hollow fibers are used their purpose is to separate liquids from gases.

The term phase conversion as used herein includes a conversion of gas phase to a dissolved gas phase (for example a gas dissolved in a polymer or dissolved in an aqueous, organic or ionized liquid), or conversion of gas to ionized compound or salt dissolved in a liquid.

This cycle can be repeated one or more times depending on the composition and purity of the feed stream, the physical and chemical properties of the desired component gas, the required purity level of the desired component gas, the type and composition of the partition membrane, and the type and composition of the phase-conversion membrane. Preferably, the first and second partition membranes are separated by a space, preferably, a confined space filled with the phase-conversion membrane.

In another embodiment, the invention is directed to methods, apparatuses, and reactors useful for separating a desired component gas from a mixed feed stream by: (a) subjecting the mixed stream to a phase-conversion membrane to isolate the desired component gas from the other components by converting it to a different phase, for example, a solution phase, while the other non-desired gas components remain in the gas phase, and (b) a desorption step, where the desired component gas is released as a gas from the second phase in enriched form. This cycle can be repeated one or more times depending on the composition and purity of the feed stream, the physical and chemical properties of the desired component gas, the required purity level of the desired component gas, and the type and composition of the phase-conversion membrane. Preferably, in this embodiment the mixed stream is subjected to a series of phase-conversion membranes.

Advantageously, the phase-conversion membrane comprises a catalyst (a “phase-conversion catalyst”), preferably, an enzymatic catalyst. In one embodiment, the phase-conversion catalyst is fixed at the gas phase-conversion membrane interface, e.g., where the catalyst is provided as a homogeneous, suspended, or heterogeneous material.

In one embodiment, the membrane or, if a catalyst is present, the membrane/catalyst system, isolates the desired component gas from the mixed stream by reacting with it to enhance its solubility it in a liquid phase. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the component isolated in the liquid phase is converted back to the gas phase in purified form.

In another embodiment, the methods, apparatuses, and reactors of the invention are useful to isolate and purify carbon dioxide from a mixed component stream utilizing carbonic anhydrase as the phase-conversion catalyst in a phase-conversion membrane.

In another embodiment, the methods, apparatuses, and reactors of the invention are useful to process very large volumes of gas for carbon dioxide removal, with economic efficiency not heretofore possible with conventional chemical processing.

In another embodiment, the methods, apparatuses, and reactors of the invention are useful to enrich or remove carbon dioxide from the ambient atmosphere in which the carbon dioxide is in low concentration; about 0.035 percent by volume.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying figures where:

FIG. 1 illustrates an X-Y-Z arrangement reactor using woven hollow fiber mats.

FIG. 2 illustrates the organization and orientation of hollow fiber arrays as may be used in a flat array. FIG. 2A illustrates a single woven fiber mat. FIG. 2B illustrates said mats in parallel or X-X′ array. FIG. 2C illustrates arrangement of said mats in orthogonal or X-Y array.

FIG. 3 illustrates varying the ratio of feed to sweep fibers. FIG. 3A illustrates a 1:1 ratio. FIG. 3B illustrates a 1:2 ratio.

FIG. 4 illustrates a concentric fiber arrangement.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method for constructing a spiral wound array of a feed, sweep and phase-conversion membrane passages using membrane sleeves. FIG. 5A illustrates manufacture of the sleeve array. FIG. 5B illustrates the alignment of the sleeves and spacers prior to spiral wind.

FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of the spiral wind of a sleeve membrane. This representation is also applicable to the spiral wind in FIGS. 5 and 8.

FIG. 7 illustrates the casing for a spiral wound reactor.

FIG. 8 an embodiment having spiral wound passages using hollow fibers oriented at right angles (radially and circumferentially) and a schematic view further illustrating the passages.

FIG. 9 shows the first step in assembling the apparatus of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternately striped membraneless reactor.

FIG. 11 illustrates a rectilinear membraneless absorber where the fluid flow rests on a surface.

FIG. 12 illustrates a rectilinear membraneless absorber where the fluid flows align along a wall to maximize interfacial area.

FIG. 13 illustrates a rectilinear membraneless reactor where the fluid flow rests on no surface but uses filamentous or lateral guides.

FIG. 14 illustrates a membraneless absorber in which the phase-conversion membrane is dispensed via centrally located concentric hollow tube while the feed gas or sweep gases are released on either side of the phase-conversion membrane.

FIG. 15 illustrates a membraneless reactor in which the phase-conversion membrane is dispensed via centrally located concentric hollow tube while the feed gas and sweep gases are released on either side of the phase-conversion membrane.

It is to be understood that these drawings are intended to illustrate the concepts of the invention and are not to scale.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Gases are defined as materials that are in the gas phase at ambient temperature and pressure (taken to be 20° C. and one atmosphere). The operating temperature for these systems is commonly 4° C.-140° C., thus water vapor is a gas at <100° C. if a vacuum is used. Suitable gases include, but are not limited to, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and water vapor.

The mixed gas stream can be pretreated to provide an optimal temperature or pressure, or to remove components that would lower the reactor's efficiency. Examples of pretreatment include mechanical screening by filters chemical screening by adsorbents or absorbents scrubbing the use of heat exchangers waste-heat-recovery processing compression expansion and other gas-processing steps known in the art.

5.1 The Partition Membrane In one embodiment of the methods, apparatuses, and reactors of the invention, the partition membrane effects a first-stage purification of the desired gas component based on physical characteristics, such as solubility, diffusivity, conductivity, magnetic properties

Partition membranes for use in the invention can be homogenous, composite, symmetric, or asymmetric membranes, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,401, hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The partition membrane can be made from a polymer, a metal, a ceramic or other material well known in the art. The partition membrane can be non-porous, nanoporous or microporous. Suitable partition membranes for use in the invention are disclosed in R. E. KESTING, SYNTHETIC POLYMERIC MEMBRANES, 2nd ed. (1985); SUN-TAK HWANG & KARL KAMMMEYER, MEMBRANES IN SEPARATION (1984), both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Preferably, the partition membrane exhibits a high contact angle with the phase-conversion membrane. This prevents the phase-conversion membrane from clogging the pores of the partition membrane, if any, and thus allows for a high gas-diffusion rate through the partition membrane. Preferably, if the phase-conversion membrane comprises a hydrophilic substance, such as an aqueous solution, then the partition membrane is preferably composed of a hydrophobic material. This combination prevents bulk water or other hydrophilic liquid from entering the partition membrane's pores. Conversely, if the phase-conversion membrane is hydrophobic, the partition membrane material should be hydrophilic material, again ensuring that the liquid does not enter the partition membrane's pores.

5.1.1 Hollow Fibers For Use In Partition Membranes

In one embodiment, the partition membrane comprises hollow fibers such as those disclosed in J. Jensvold, U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,097 (issued Nov. 28, 2000), hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Hollow-fibers useful in partition membranes of the invention can be constructed of any porous material or semi-permeable polymeric material, preferably, olefinic polymers, such as poly-4-methylpentene, polyethylene, and polypropylene; polytetrafluoroethylene; cellulosic esters, cellulose ethers, and regenerated cellulose; polyamides; polyetherketones and polyetheretherketones; polyestercarbonates; polycarbonates, including ring substituted versions of bisphenol based polycarbonates; polystyrenes; polysulfones; polyimides; and polyethersulfone. In preferred embodiments the passage walls are made of hydrophilic porous material, hydrophobic porous material, ceramic porous material, sintered metal porous material, carbon nanotubes, porous polypropylene, porous polyperfluroethylene, porous hydrocarbon polymers, porous polyamides and porous polycarbonates, preferably, the passage walls are made of Celgard brand polypropylene. Celgard is a polypropylene material. The X30-240 material preferred has a porosity of 40% with pores of 30 nm. Other variants are available. Other manufacturers produce related product using the same or other polymers.

In a preferred embodiment, the outer diameter of the hollow fibers ranges of about 100 to about 500 micrometers, preferably of about 100 micrometers to about 300 micrometers. Preferably, the bore diameter is 10 to 300 micrometers most preferably 150-250 micrometers.

As used herein, hollow fiber means an enclosed volume and is not limited to traditional cylindrical geometry. Rather, it is possible to use flat membranes that are arranged analogously to sealed envelopes such that they are oblate with any desired ratio of primary to secondary axis. Nichols et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,081 illustrate the manufacture of sleeves by inserting a spacer between the folded layers and sealing around the edges. Sealing can be accomplished by heat to weld the faces or by use of a glue, preferably an epoxy. As practiced here, unlike Nichols, one or more selectively perforated tubes are inserted into the sleeves to allow delivery of a fluid into the center of the sleeve, a space akin to the bore of a hollow fiber. By use of two such tubes a fluid is delivered to one end of a sleeve, in one example acting as the feed gas while a tube at the opposite end of the sleeve capture the gas that has not been selectively extracted across the sleeve surface now constituting the retentate gas.

In another aspect, the hollow fiber surface can be partially coated with a conducting material retaining its porosity but being able to carry a charge. In a preferred embodiment the conducting material is deposited on the membrane surface by vapor deposition. In another embodiment the membrane material itself is electrically conducting examples of which include polyacetylene and poly(para phenylene vinylene) (PPV) and other as described by T. A. Skotheim in Handbook of Conducting Polymers, 1986.

In still a further aspect, the hollow fiber surface can be functionalized to accept covalent or other types of bonding with materials that can act as a bridge to yet other materials, here, for example an enzyme. S. Nishiyama, A. Goto, K. Saito, K. Sugita, M. Tamada, T. Sugo, T. Funami, Y. Goda, and S. Fujimoto describe such a procedure in their paper “Concentration of 17-Estradiol Using an Immunoaffinity Porous Hollow-Fiber Membrane” Anal. Chem., 74 (19), 4933-4936, 2002. An epoxy-group-containing monomer, glycidyl methacrylate was graft-polymerized onto a porous hollow-fiber membrane. The enzyme, as a ligand, was coupled with the epoxy group on the membrane coating.

As an additional example, the activated functionalized surface can be coated with silica gel, for example, the thin film gel disclosed in Eva M. Wong et al., Preparation of Quaternary Ammonium Organosilane Functionalized Mesoporous Thin Films, 18 LANGMUIR, 972-974 (2002), hereby incorporated herein by reference. It in turn having a desired series of properties such as select pore diameter and pore group functionaization, for example, with acidic or basic groups.

5.1.1.1 Correction of Hollow-Fiber Partition Membranes From Hollow Fibers

Hollow-fiber partition membranes are well known in the art, for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,760, hereby incorporated herein by reference. In a preferred embodiment, the hollow fibers are of controlled porosity and composition, preferably, having a hydrophobic surface and having pore sizes such that surface tension prevents the flow of the phase-conversion membrane through the pores.

In one embodiment, the hollow-fiber partition membranes have a dense discriminating region wherein the separation of the fluid mixture is based on differences in solubility and diffusivity of the fluids. W. J. Koros & G. K. Fleming, Membrane-based gas separation, 83 JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE 1-80 (1993), hereby incorporated herein by reference.

In another embodiment, the hollow-fiber partition membranes are microporous, wherein the separation is based on relative gas volatilities.

In one preferred embodiment, the membranes are asymmetric hollow fibers as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,993, hereby incorporated herein by reference.

In another preferred embodiment, the partition membrane is a matrix or array of hollow fibers, wherein a plurality of hollow fibers are bound together with a binding material or woven together in sheets or mats such as those disclosed in J. Jensvold, U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,097 (issued Nov. 28, 2000), hereby incorporated herein by reference. Such sheets or mats are referred to herein as hollow-fiber partition membrane sheets (or simply hollow fiber sheets). As explained in more detail below, when stacked, the hollow-fiber partition membrane sheets are spaced apart by being woven one over the other with a binding material.

Preferably, the hollow fibers that make up the sheet are arranged in a substantially non-random organized manner. Preferably, the hollow fibers in the sheet are arranged in either a parallel wrap fashion, wherein the hollow fibers lie substantially parallel to one another with each end of the hollow fibers found at either end of the sheet. In an alternative embodiment, the hollow fibers in the hollow fiber sheet are wrapped in a bias wrap fashion, wherein the hollow fibers are wrapped in a crisscross pattern at a set angle, thus holding the hollow fibers in place in a sheet. In preferred hollow-fiber sheets, the sheet thickness is as thick as one hollow fiber.

The sheet can be in any appropriate geometric shape, such as circular, square, or rectangular. Preferably, the sheet is square or rectangular and arranged in a manner such that the ends of the hollow-fibers are located at either end of the sheet.

5.2 THE PHASE-CONVERSION MEMBRANE

The phase-conversion membrane selectively absorbs the desired gas component and coverts it into a second phase.

The phase-conversion membrane can be composed of aqueous solvents, protic solvents, aprotic solvents, hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, ionic liquids and supercritical fluids, such as supercritical carbon dioxide or supercritical water.

In one preferred embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane is water or an aqueous solution.

In another embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane is a hydrophobic fluid into which the gases, compounds or ionic species will partition Such hydrophobic liquid can be caused to flow by pressure, temperature gradients, as described by, or electrochemical means as described in P. Scovazzo, J. Poshusta, D. DuBois, C. Koval, & R. Noble; J. of the Electrochemical Society (2003).

Suitable phase-conversion membranes for use in the invention are disclosed in R. E. KESTING, SYNTHETIC POLYMERIC MEMBRANES, 2nd ed. (1985); SUN-TAK HWANG & KARL KAMMERMEYER, MEMBRANES IN SEPERATION (1984), both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

During use, the phase-conversion membrane can be stirred or a flow introduced by a stirrer, pump or other conventional means. Flow or other means is applied to maintain a concentration or other gradient to produce vectorial movement of the desired component gas into a second phase.

Preferably, the thickness of the phase-conversion membrane ranges of from about 10 micrometers to about 600 micrometers, more preferably, of from about 10 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.

Preferably, the phase-conversion membrane is a film in which the desired gas component is soluble and which decreases the escape of the second phase into the mixed gas stream. The film may be a gel, hydrocarbon layer, or preferably, a lipid or phospholipid layer or bilayer.

In one preferred embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane chemically converts the gas to an ionic species soluble in an aqueous medium by way of a phase-conversion catalyst, preferably, an enzyme.

Preferably, the phase-conversion membrane is a phosphate, a bicarbonate-glycine or a bicarbonate-piperazine buffer whose ionic strength has been adjusted to compensate for the pH change that would occur in the absence of the buffer. In a preferred embodiment, the buffer fluid contains a phase-conversion catalyst, preferably, an enzyme, and more preferably, carbonic anhydrase.

Preferably, the phase-conversion membrane is an aqueous solution comprising a metal carbonate or metal bicarbonate or a zwitterionic material such as an amino acid, in a pH range facilitating the enzymatic conversion of a gas, such as carbon dioxide, to a soluble species such as bicarbonate. In another aspect of this embodiment, the solubilized bicarbonate is converted back into purified carbon dioxide at the permeate face or in a second striping reactor body.

A carbonate-bicarbonate system forms spontaneously in the presence of water, catalyst, and carbon dioxide. The total carbonate concentration is a function of the feed gas carbon dioxide concentration while the ratio of carbon dioxide/hydrogen carbonate/carbonate is a function of the solution pH. Reactions of this type have been examined by G. ASTARITA ET AL., GAS TREATING WITH CHEMICAL SOLVENT (1983), hereby incorporated herein by reference.

A liquid phase-conversion membrane is manufactured as a bulk solution consisting of the appropriate salts and buffers. In the case of a homogeneous catalyst, the catalyst, preferably an enzyme, is added to the bulk solution to the preferred concentration. In the case of a suspended catalyst wherein the catalyst has been immobilized to a small, preferably multimicrometer sized surface, the immobilization material is added to the preferred density. In the case of a heterogeneous catalyst, the catalyst is independently immobilized to one or more surfaces at the gas-liquid interface. In the case of the presence of phase separation membranes the bulk fluid is delivered to the multimicrometer thick space between the phase separation membranes to form a thin, contained liquid membrane. In the case of the membraneless designs the bulk fluid is forced to form a multimicrometer thick film supported between hydrophilic boundaries [(FIG. 10)], flowing along support surfaces [(FIGS. 11, 12, 14)] or delivered as a flat spray [(FIGS. 13, 15)].

5.3 PHASE-CONVERSION CATALYSTS

In one embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane comprises a phase-conversion catalyst that facilitates adsorption, absorption, or chemically converts the desired component gas into a condensed phase. Preferably, the phase conversion catalyst converts the desired component gas into a species absorbable or soluble in the phase-conversion membrane. Any catalyst that facilitates absorption, adsorption, or dissolution into a condensed or second phase can be used as a phase-conversion catalyst. Preferred phase-conversion catalysts convert the gas into an ionic species that is soluble in an aqueous medium. Other suitable phase-conversion catalysts include, but are not limited to enzymes.

5.3.1 Immobilization of The Phase-Conversion Catalysts

In another embodiment, the phase-conversion catalyst can be immobilized on a support. The phase-conversion catalyst can be fixed to the immobilization support by binding, covalent bonding, physical attraction, coordination bonds, chelation, other binding means, mechanical trapping, or other means known to those skilled in the art. Examples can be found in the following paper, “Methods for Preparation of Catalytic Materials” James A. Schwarz, Cristian Contescu, Adriana Contescu; Chem. Rev.; 1995; 95(3); 477-510, hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The immobilization support can be of any conventional material such as polysaccharide surfaces or gels, ion exchange resin, treated silicon oxides, porous metal structures, carbon rods or tubes, graphite fibers, silica beads, cellulose membranes, gel matrices such as polyacrylamide gels, poly(acryloyl morpholine) gels, nylon or other polymer meshes, or other suitable binding surface.

In another embodiment, the phase-conversion catalyst may be wholly or partially encapsulated in a suitable material such as cellulose nitrate capsules, polyvinyl alcohol capsules, starch capsules or liposome preparations.

In still another embodiment, the phase-conversion catalyst may be fixed at a phase boundary, by use of nonionic surfactants as described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,308 (issued to Li, et al), hereby incorporated herein by reference.

In another embodiment, the immobilization support can be a membrane of selective permeability. The selectivity can be by size, or other characteristics. The membrane can be a lipid bilayer doped with passive porins, channels or ionophores of the co-porter or antiporter type which commonly rely on properties such as charge and/or hydrated radius for separation.

In yet another embodiment, the porins may be active, i.e., dependent on an energy flux, hereby incorporated herein by reference. For example, with a cell-wall membrane, the energy flux may be tied to an endogenous high-energy compound such as a labile triphosphate bond or to an exogenous supply of energy via photons, electrons or protons, hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Further examples of suitable materials for the phase-conversion membranes and phase-conversion catalyst supports include those where the immobilization support functions as a membrane with selective permeability to maintain separation of the mixed gas stream from the second phase, while allowing the desired component gas to pass through hereby incorporated herein by reference. Examples include, but are not limited to natural and artificial permeable membranes, including semipermeable plastic membranes, black lipid membranes, alternatively doped with ionophores to provide ion conducting channels.

When the phase-conversion catalyst is an immobilized enzyme, preferably, the enzyme is one of two types, a simple enzyme or one requiring a cofactor for activity. Simple enzymes can be fixed to the immobilization support by any of the means known to the art.

With appropriate surface treatment, a catalyst enzyme can be immobilized to the support surface directly or via a linker or via a surface mounted immobilizing agent such as a silica gel. Such gels or other strategies can be used to provide physical protection for the catalyst or enzyme to prevent microbial, physical and chemical degradation or denaturation (Kim, W.; Park, C. B.; Clark, D. S. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2001, 73, 331-337.).

The enzymes can be modified by adding an amino acid sequence that bind to the support without substantially reducing enzyme activity, hereby incorporated herein by reference. For example, the enzyme can be modified by altering the DNA segment coding for the enzyme to add a sequence coding for an amino acid sequence that yields a binding moiety to the enzyme in a manner that enhances enzyme binding, hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The modification can provide a sequence that binds to a metal such as a polyhistidine sequence, or may code for an epitope or antigen moiety that binds to an antibody or may be a portion of an antibody that binds a known antigen, hereby incorporated herein by reference. For example, a polyhistidine sequence can be added to an enzyme such as carbonic anhydrase by splicing a DNA fragment coding for the desired polyhistidine sequence into the DNA coding for the enzyme at either terminus of the protein sequence, and expressing the DNA in a suitable organism and recovering the new enzyme, hereby incorporated herein by reference.

In the case of enzymes requiring cofactors, the cofactor can be supplied in the second phase or also fixed to an immobilization support or supplied by pretreatment of the immobilization support with the cofactor to activate bound enzyme. An example is found in the paper by M. Isabel Álvarez-González, Silvana B. Saidman, M. Jesús Lobo-Castañón, Arturo J. Miranda-Ordieres, and Paulino Tuñón-Blanco in “Electrocatalytic Detection of NADH and Glycerol by NAD⁺-Modified Carbon Electrodes,” Anal. Chem., 72 (3), 520-527, 2000, hereby incorporated herein by reference. If multiple materials are to be bound to the immobilization support, they may be exposed to the immobilization support sequentially or as a mixture.

Examples of phase-conversion catalysts suitable for use in the invention are presented in Table I below. Also presented in Table I, corresponding to each catalyst, are non-limiting examples of a desired component gas for which each catalyst is suitable, the resulting chemical species soluble or otherwise retainable in the second phase, and non-limiting examples of substances suitable for the second phase. TABLE I Phase-Conversion Catalysts Phase-conversion catalyst Carbonic anhydrase glucose oxidase aldehyde oxidase hydroxylamine oxidase sulfite oxidase sulfur-ferric ion oxidoreductase catechol oxidase (dimerizing) laccase L-ascorbate oxidas catalase sulfur dioxygenase superoxide dismutase B galactosidase urease lactic acid oxygenase inositol oxygenase lysine oxygenase octane oxygenase pyrocatechase 3-hydroxyanthranilate oxygenase tryptophan oxygenase homogentisate oxygenase formate dehydrogenase/NADH formate dehydrogenase (cytochrome)/ferricytochrome b₁ carbon monoxide-methylene blue oxidoreductase/methylene blue carbon monoxide dehydrogenase/methyl viologen nitrate reductase (NADH)/NADH nitrate reductase NAD(P)H/(NAD(P)H) nitrate reductase NADPH/(NADPH) superoxide-forming enzyme/NADPH nitrite reductase (cytochrome)/ferricytochrome c ferredoxin-nitrate hydroxylamine reductase/ ferredoxin pyocyanine; methylene blue flavins nitric-oxide reductase/pyocyanine nitrite reductase/pyocyanine; flavins nitrite reductase/benzyl viologen sulfite reductase (NADPH)/NADP sulfite reductase (ferredoxin)/ferredoxin sulfite reductase/methyl viologen adenyl sulfate reductase/methyl viologen cytochrome c oxidase/ferrocytochrome Pseudomonas cytochrome c oxidase/ferrocytochrome nitrate reductase/ferrocytochrome methane monoxygenase/NAD(P)H nitrogenase/ferredoxin + ATP carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase/ATP

5.4 DESORPTION OF THE DESIRED COMPONENT GAS FROM THE SECOND PHASE IN PURIFIED FORM

In a desorption step, the isolated component is removed from the second phase by conversion back into a gas, now in highly purified form. Desorption of the desired component from the second phase depends on the relationships of various physical properties of the second phase and component. Desorption can be facilitated, for example, by change in pressure, temperature, pH or other physical or chemical means such that the extracted component dissociates from the chemical reactant, dissociated from a chelator or chaperone or is now less soluble in the liquid or is can move to a lower energy state.

5.5 APPARATUSES & REACTORS OF THE INVENTION EMPLOYING PARTITION MEMBRANE SHEETS ARRANGED IN A STACKED STRUCTURE HAVING A PHASE-CONVERSION MEMBRANE BETWEEN PARTITION MEMBRANE SHEETS

In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a stacked-sheet partition-membrane reactor, wherein the partition membranes (e.g., hollow-fiber partition membrane sheets) can be arranged in a stacked manner with a phase-conversion membrane sandwiched between the partition membrane sheets. Thus, in its simplest form, the reactor comprises two partition membrane sheets having a phase-conversion membrane between them. A spacer of known dimension provides uniform separation between the sheets defining the space for containing the phase-conversion membrane. The space can be of any dimension, the only constraints being that it does not permit the feed partition membrane and the sweep partition membrane to contact each other in the stacked arrangement, that control is exercised for flow resistance, and that the enclosed volume is not so great as to constitute a significant lake. The object is to achieve minimal residence time of the desired component gas in the reactor yet sufficient to maximize exchange of the desired component gas across the phase-conversion membrane. Typical thickness of the phase-conversion membrane ranges of from about 10 micrometers to about 600 micrometers, preferably, of from about 10 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.

In the stacked-sheet partition-membrane reactor design, one or more of the partition-membrane sheets will serve as a gas inlet, for bore side introduction of the mixed gas stream and one or more of the sheets will serve as the sweep sheet to sweep out the purified gas. But multiple partition membrane sheets can be used and there need not be a 1:1 ratio between the sheets used feeds and the sheets used as sweeps.

The ratio of total surface area of each sheet and the phase-conversion membrane to thickness is a function of the relative rates of absorption and desorption.

In one embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane is static. Where the phase-conversion membrane is static, the flow rate for the fluid equals zero, and the absorption of the desired gas component is diffusion-based. Increased flow of the phase-conversion membrane results in improvements in permeance, in some cases, in excess of 10-fold. In another embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane flows between the sheets to promote even distribution during operation. The phase-conversion membrane can be driven between the partition membrane sheets in any direction in the plane of the sheets or perpendicular to the sheets. For example, when the partition membrane sheet is a hollow-fiber partition membrane sheet, the flow direction of the phase-conversion membrane can be parallel to the sheet's hollow fibers or orthogonal to them or any angle between. Thus, the phase-conversion-membrane flow can be in the Z direction or X′ or Y′ directions or any angle between. If the phase-conversion membrane is flowing in the Z direction, its axis preferably is of from about 0° to about 90°, though a preferred angle is about 67° relative to the Z-axis.

In another preferred embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane flows at sufficient velocity to provide turbulent mixing at the boundary layers and interface where the phase-conversion membrane contacts the gas stream. The preferred velocity of the phase-conversion membrane is taken in relationship to the feed-gas concentration or partial pressure.

The key concept of reactors and apparatuses of the invention is to provide effective contact and mixing of the gas streams with the phase-conversion membrane, preferably, with control of the phase-conversion membrane's thickness and, thereafter, if desired, providing a sweep gas to transfer the mixed gas stream from the feed partition membrane to the phase-conversion membrane and then from the phase-conversion membrane to the sweep partition membrane.

The flow directions of gas streams are not critical but is governed by a tradeoff between the preferred geometry and extraction efficiency. Economic and manufacturing considerations will play a major role is the tradeoff decision. For example, a cross-current can be used in both the feed partition membrane and the sweep partition membrane and the phase-conversion membrane can be baffled so that it flows across the shell many times.

The separation can be further improved by adjusting conditions of catalyst concentration, salting effect, buffer selection, pH control, temperature, and membrane thickness.

Preferably, when the partition-membrane sheets are hollow-fiber partition membrane sheets, the sheets are stacked such that the direction of hollow fibers in one sheet runs at right angles to the hollow fibers in the adjacent sheet. However, many other angles are acceptable, for example, the relative angle can range from about 0° (notated as X-X′) to about 90° (notated as X-Y′).

In stacked-sleeve partition-membrane reactors, when there are two hollow-fiber partition membrane sheets, the following sheet arrangements can be constructed -X-X′-X″ for the feed, sweep and phase-conversion membrane, respectively, all organized parallel to one another. Other geometries include -X-Y-X′, X-Y-Y′, and X-Y-Z. Those skilled in the art can configure yet other relationships.

A major advantage in these various designs, but more obviously so when using stacked-sheet partition-membrane reactors, and especially when the partition hollow-fiber partition membrane sheets are arranged in an X-Y-Z design, is that it each system parameter can be altered relatively independently of any other system parameter. Examples of independently controllable parameters include feed membrane surface area, feed gas flow velocity, liquid conversion membrane flow velocity, liquid conversion membrane thickness, sweep membrane surface area, sweep gas flow velocity, feed or sweep fiber bore diameter, local pH or temperature, surface distribution of catalyst.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a stacked-sheet partition-membrane reactor exemplifying the invention for purification of a mixed gas component stream. Casing 1300 encloses the assembly wherein feed gas enters through entry port 1370 and into feed plenum 1360 to enable the feed gas to access the bore side of hollow fiber partition membrane feed sheet 30B. Hollow fiber partition membrane feed sheet 30B comprises an array of hollow feed fibers 10B. The array of hollow feed fibers 10B is bundled together using fiber 10C. The feed gas passes through the bores of partition-membrane 30B along which the gas of interest is extracted into the liquid conversion membrane covering spacers 1310. The unextracted components of the feed gas, now called the retentate gas, travels within hollow feed fibers 10B and out the bore side into retentate plenum 1320 to pass out of casing 1300 where they are collected via retentate outlet 1330.

Preferably, the hollow fiber partition-membrane sheets are constructed from hydrophobic microporous polypropylene membranes, 300 micrometers OD and 240 micrometers ID, for example Celgard X30-240 hollow fiber arrays, which are commercially available.

The desired component of the feed gas, or permeate, passes through the shell side of hollow feed fibers 10B and into phase-conversion membrane 2000. Phase-conversion membrane 2000 surrounding spacer 1310 enters casing 1300 via phase-conversion membrane inlet 1380 and exits via phase-conversion membrane outlet 1390. The partially purified permeate passes through phase-conversion membrane 2000 thereby undergoing further purification.

The permeate gas which passes through phase-conversion membrane 2000 then passes through the shell side of hollow fiber partition membrane sweep sheet 30A. Hollow fiber partition membrane sweep sheet 30A comprises an array of hollow sweep fibers 10A. To facilitate the passage of the desired gas within hollow sweep fibers 10A, a sweep gas is entered into sweep plenum 1340 via sweep inlet 1345. Sweep plenum 1340 then passes sweep gas into the array of hollow sweep fibers 10A. This sweep gas serves to sweep the permeate gas within hollow sweep fibers 10A into permeate plenum 1400 for exit via permeate port 1350.

In FIG. 2A, hollow fiber partition membrane sheet 30 has a substantially flat array of hollow fibers 10 bundled together using fiber 10C. In another embodiment, hollow fibers 10 are organized in a spiral wound array, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9.

Referring to FIG. 2, feed gas enters the bore side of feed sheet 30B through feed fiber end 61 with a selected component of the feed gas passing through the shell side of feed sheet 30B. Lean retentate gas, the undesired components of the mixed gas component stream, exits feed sheet 30B at feed fiber end 62. Sweep gas enters sweep sheet 30A through sweep fiber end 63 and exits as permeate through sweep fiber end 64. In another embodiment, a vacuum can be used in place of, or in addition to, sweep gas to facilitate movement of the permeate.

Phase-conversion membrane 2000 is a sheet-like structure positioned between the opposing shell sides of sweep sheet 30A and feed sheet 30B. Phase-conversion membrane 2000 is an aqueous-like membrane which can flow in a co-current direction 51 (note: large arrow head in Figures indicates direction), counter-current direction 52, cross-current direction 53, or orthogonal direction 54 relative to the flow of mixed gas component stream 61.

Hollow sweep fibers 11A and hollow feed fibers 10B can have a relative orientation in a range of from about 0° to about 90°. Spacing between hollow sweep fibers 11A and hollow feed fibers 10B can have a range of from about zero (where fibers 10C employed to knot hollow fibers 10 together serve as a spacer) to about 1 mm. Preferably, spacing is uniform. Spacing establishes the thickness of phase-conversion membrane 2000 and is critical to a uniform separation between hollow fibers 10. Spacing can be achieved by any suitable material. One of ordinary skill in the art can readily determine the appropriate spacing material based upon the chemical makeup of phase-conversion membrane 2000. For example, suitable spacer material can include, but is not limited to, glue lines and fabric. Preferably, spacer material is cellulosic when proteins or other organics are present in phase-conversion membrane. In another aspect, the phase separation membrane can be made of a voltage-sensitive conducting polymer or coated with a conductor such as a metal or an ion exchange resin that could allow specific ionic species to penetrate while rejecting non-ionized species or that could be used to alter local pH.

FIG. 2B shows sweep sheet 30A and feed sheet 30B in a parallel arrangement 35, wherein hollow sweep fibers 10A of sweep sheet 30A are parallel to hollow feed fibers 10B of sweep sheet 30B. Alternatively, in FIG. 2C sweep sheet 30A and feed sheet 30B can be assembled in an orthogonal arrangement 37, wherein hollow sweep fibers 10A are orthogonal relative to hollow feed fibers 10B.

In FIG. 2 the phase-conversion membrane 2000 flow is illustrated at orientations in the X, Y or Z planes having angles 0° and 90° via 51, 52, 53, and 54. It is contemplated that other angles are acceptable. When flow is out of the plane of the fibers, i.e., in direction 54 the orientation of the phase-conversion membrane flow ranges from >0° to 90°, preferably the angle for the Z-axis is approximately 67°. Preferably, phase-conversion membrane has a flow rate in a range of 0, i.e., diffusion-based separation, to 1200 ml/min. Preferably, the phase-conversion membrane flow rate has a velocity of about 150 ml/min.

As shown in FIG. 2 and as it relates to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 both the parallel and the orthogonal designs allow the introduction of an uneven number of hollow fibers for the feed 30B and the sweep 30A to compensate for these differences by increasing surface area accordingly. In addition, it is possible to use hollow fibers of different diameter to accommodate different flow rates.

The orthogonal design offers yet a further improvement. The phase-conversion membrane 2000 flowing at right angles to the hollow fibers extracts from the feed 30B and delivers it to the sweep 30A in a very short distance and, if the fluid is fully unloaded, does not allow spill over to the adjacent hollow fibers. Thus, if the feed hollow fibers 30B are relatively long and the sweep hollow fibers 30A relatively short, though larger in number or in available surface area, the system acts as if each unit length along the feed fiber 30B is being maximally stripped, as controlled by the relative flow rates and the relative surface areas. Thus, unlike the situation with traditional co-current or countercurrent flow, this system readily exceeds the mean concentration extraction achieved with these other approaches.

FIG. 3A depicts a hollow feed fiber 10B to hollow sweep fiber 10A ratio of 1:1. FIG. 3B shows a hollow feed fiber 10B to hollow sweep fiber 10A ratio of 1:2. Preferably, the ratio of hollow feed fibers 10B to hollow sweep fibers 10A can be in a range of from about 1:5 to about 5:1, depending on the relative velocity of the absorption relative to the desorption. Spacer 115 holds hollow sweep fibers 10A and hollow feed fibers 10B apart at a uniform distance.

FIG. 4 illustrates a casing 200 containing hollow fiber partition membrane sheet 30 comprising a concentric array of hollow fibers 210 and 220. Casing 200 serves as a plenum for the mixed gas component stream, or feed gas. The feed gas enters through port 240 and passes through the shell side of the outer hollow fiber 210. Phase-conversion membrane 2000 is contained bore side to outer hollow fiber 210 and shell side to inner hollow fiber 220. The desired gas component, or permeate, passes through phase-conversion membrane 2000 and into inner hollow fiber 220. The permeate is swept out through the bore side of inner hollow fiber 220. Preferably, a sweep gas or vacuum is used to move the permeate out through inner hollow fiber 220. The retentate exits casing 200 through port 250.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a method for assembling membrane reactor bags 320 into a spiral wound reactor body. Referring to FIG. 5A, a flat feed sheet or a flat sweep sheet are folded and sealed to form membrane reactor bag 320. Bag 320 is sealed around a partially perforated hollow fiber entry port 310 and a partially perforated hollow fiber exit port 340. Preferably, the feed sheet and sweep sheet are held apart by spacer 330. Preferably, the perforations are limited to the portion of hollow fiber entry port 310 and hollow fiber exit port 340 enclosed in bag 320.

FIG. 5B illustrates an assembly of two bags 315, 319 arranged around spacing material 317. Preferably, spacing material 317 comprises a central core mesh. Feed gas enters the assembly via port 360 and exits as the retentate via port 365. The sweep gas enters via port 350 and exits as permeate via port 355. Hollow tube entry port 370 and hollow tube exit port 375 allow delivery and recovery of phase-conversion membrane 2000. The hollow fibers are delivered to the two ends of the bag and are, preferably oriented in opposite directions. Thus, one large bore hollow fiber serves as the conduit for the feed while at the opposite end the other large bore hollow fiber serves as the conduit for the retentate. Bag 320 can be held apart by phase-conversion membrane 330.

Bags 315, 319 can be arranged and rotated to form a spiral wound array, analogous to the hollow fiber array depicted in FIG. 1. In addition, it is possible to use hollow fiber mats in a similar manner provided however that the tubesets now exit via tubesheets to allow independent access to the feed and sweep fibers and to the phase-conversion membrane as is shown in FIG. 8. The feed gas reactor bag 320 is adjacent to a phase-conversion membrane space 317.

FIG. 6 provides an end on, top down view of the spiral wind membrane sleeve design for the feed/retentate 315 while the sweep/permeate 319 separated by a spacer 317 as needed. In this embodiment the phase-conversion membrane 2000 is delivered via a central perforated tube 395 so that it flows radially to be captured at the lateral margin where it exits via a port in the end cap. A similar structure can be used for hollow fibers save that there are two tubesheets 18, 19, as shown in FIG. 8 at each end to allow independent access to the feed and sweep fibers 12, 15. As illustrated in FIG. 6 it is also possible to have the phase-conversion membrane flow in the axial direction from a port on the top casing to a port on the bottom casing.

FIG. 7 shows casing 367 and end caps 362, 364 for housing the spiral wound reactor body shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6. Referring to FIG. 7, casing 367 is comprised of flanged tube 361 and each end of casing is capped with flat end caps 362, 364, or alternatively 363, 365. Each flat end cap is sealed with an O-ring 366 and perforated to accept ferrule connectors 368 to allow entry and exit of feed port 360, retentate port 365, sweep port 350, permeate 355, phase-conversion membrane delivery port 370 and phase-conversion membrane recovery port 375. In one embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane is delivered via one of the ports labeled 368 in top end cap 557. Tube 16 of FIG. 8 exits via one of the ports labeled 368 in bottom end cap 559. In these designs the phase-conversion membrane flows in a spiral manner if bag-like membranes are used or radially if hollow fibers are used. In the hollow fiber embodiment, the phase-conversion membrane can be collected at the periphery of plenum, 12 of FIG. 8. In another embodiment, a large bore perforated pipe supplies phase-conversion membrane 2000 through port 369 of top flat end cap 558, and exits through port 369 of the bottom flat end cap 556. According to this embodiment, phase-conversion membrane 2000 runs axially relative to casing 367.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment providing shell 13 with plenum 12, feed inlet 14 and retentate outlet 15. FIG. 8B shows an interior view of shell 13 having vertical hollow feed fibers 19. and a porous phase-conversion membrane inlet tube 16 intersected by horizontal hollow sweep fibers 18. Horizontal hollow sweep fibers 18 and vertical hollow feed fibers 19 are enclosed within shell 13. Partition membrane 20 accepts hollow feed fibers 19 running radially. Horizontal hollow sweep fibers 18 run in the orthogonal direction and exit shell 13 via plenum 12.

In operation, feed gas enters shell 13 via feed inlet 14 and is fed to feed fibers 19 through upper tubesheet 20A. Axial feed fibers 19 are gathered into a bundle and sealed into entry port 14 and the opposite ends are bundled and sealed into retentate outlet 15. Retentate gas travels down feed fiber 19 and into lower tubesheet 20B and out through retentate outlet 15. The partially purified desired gas passes through the shell side of feed fibers 19 into the pores of phase-conversion membrane inlet tube 16. Phase-conversion membrane 2000 further purifies the partially purified permeate gas with the resulting permeate being swept through and out of hollow sweep fibers 18.

Horizontal sweep fibers 18 pass out through plenum 12. A second plenum located on the opposite side of casing 13 permits entry horizontal sweep fibers 18 wherein the sweep fibers are collected into a bundle and sealed into a fluid supply line for The bundling and sealing of hollow fibers is well-known in the art and is described U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,097, issued to Jensvold et. al., which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIG. 9 illustrates the first step in assembling a hollow fiber reactor shown in FIG. 8B. The feed fibers 10B run axially while the sweep fibers 10A run circumferentially. These mats are separated by a spacer 115 in which the phase-conversion membrane will flow. The mats wind around a central phase-conversion membrane distribution perforated tube 16.

FIG. 10 shows an illustrative embodiment of the invention where the gas and the phase-conversion membrane phase associated with the phase-conversion membrane are kept apart by virtue of surface tension. The upper and lower surface 420 are alternatively striped with hydrophilic and hydrophobic material as described by B Zhao et al. 291 SCIENCE 1023-1026 (2001), hereby incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, upper and lower surfaces 420, are spaced at a distance of less than about 2 mm. When phase-conversion membrane 430 is added in the space between upper and lower surfaces 420, it forms a series of striped lines along the existing hydrophilic stripes 410. Provided that the transverse pressure is not sufficient to destroy the phase-conversion membrane, it effectively separates adjacent empty zones 440, 450 which can receive gases such as the feed gas and the sweep gas or delivering permeate. The gas delivered in the feed will then partition into the phase-conversion membrane by both physical and chemical absorption processes. Similarly, a gas or its chemical equivalents will partition into the sweep phase based on such driving forces as partial pressure, temperature, and other physical forces. It is also possible to fill the space between two adjacent phase-conversion membrane fils with a hydrophobic fluid into which the gases, compounds or ionic species will partition. It is possible to cause the phase-conversion membrane to flow by pressure, or temperature gradients, as described by S. Troian et al., 15 PATTERNED SURFACES, PHYS. FLUIDS 1295 (2003), hereby incorporated herein by reference, or electrochemical means. Further, it is possible to impart sufficient velocity to the gas streams to provide modest turbulence to the gas-phase-conversion membrane interface thereby facilitating absorption.

In a further embodiment it is possible to use the hydrophilic stripping material to conduct electricity thereby imparting a polarity to the phase-conversion membrane. It is further possible to delimit the hydrophilic and hydrophobic boundaries by means of perforated electrical conductors running perpendicular to the bounding surfaces. This then allows a current to run across the phase-conversion membrane film from one gas interface to the other. In these embodiments, as was the case for the membrane phase delimited embodiments described above, the operational performance is that a material is selected from the feed supply and selectively enters the phase-conversion membrane, by means of physical absorption, chemical absorption, or facilitated chemical absorption and then exits the opposite face of the phase-conversion membrane into the sweep gas or collecting phase, which can be a vacuum as the permeate. Thus, phase-conversion membrane acts to selectively extract a material from a mixture supplied at the feed side to one and enrich it in the permeate or sweep side.

Yet other membraneless designs can be organized into a full-up reactor where separation and enrichment occur in a single housing or absorber-stripper designs where separation and enrichment occur in two different housings. Each of these approaches can be embodied in rectilinear or cylindrical designs as described below.

FIG. 11 illustrates a rectilinear membraneless absorber. The shell 700 contains sets of feed plenums 730 and retentate plenums 735 to provide and receive, respectively, the feed gas 750. It also contains sets of lean fluid feed plenums 725 and collection plenums 720. The phase-conversion membrane 740 is supported on a thin surface 710 that can be electrically conducting. Such supports may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic in nature. The enriched phase-conversion membrane from the absorber is transported via piping to a similarly designed stripped where the sweep fluid extracts the separated material yielding a highly enriched stream. The stripper component looks identical and functions similarly save that the sweep gas can be water vapor and can be aided by use of a mild vacuum. The phase-conversion membrane can also be guided by a series of filaments in place of the support surface 740. In this design both the gas and the liquid are pumped though it is likely that the apparatus will be so arranged that gravity acts on the liquid allowing it to fall uniformly. This embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 12 illustrates an absorber contained in shell 1500 where the phase-conversion membrane 1540 dispensed from plenum 1520 falls along wall 1570 to be collected in plenum 1560. Wall 1570 can be electrically conducting. It can also be filamentous rather than solid. The feed or the sweep gas (in the stripper mode) 1530 is provided via plenum 1550 and is collected as the retentate (or permeate) in plenum 1510. This design has the advantage of providing maximal gas-liquid contact interface, utilizes gravity as a distribution vehicle and permits more rapid extraction of the selected gas from the mixed gas stream 1530.

FIG. 13 illustrates a rectilinear membraneless reactor where the thin support surface of FIG. 11 is replaced by a series of filaments (located within phase-conversion membrane film 840) or, in another embodiment enjoys no physical support, i.e., the flat flow, unsupported, and is collected before it breaks into droplets or creates end areas of density. This is particularly beneficial when chemical facilitation is used, provided that the reaction time is very short, thus allowing contact time only sufficient to produce the desired reaction and to load the fluid volume to the maximal or the desired concentration. In these two embodiments the feed 850 and sweep gases 870 are supplied on both surfaces to aid in supporting the phase-conversion membrane 840. On the lateral sides of the case 800 there are channels to help guide the flowing phase-conversion membrane. Distinct regions are separated by a film 812. 830 is the rich gas feed, 850 the rich gas stream, 895 the retentate capture, 825 the lean phase-conversion membrane feed, 840 the phase-conversion membrane fluid, 820 the uptake of the phase-conversion membrane, 860 the sweep supply, 870 the sweep stream, 880 the permeate uptake, and 800 the outer case. In this design both the gas and the liquid are pumped though it is likely that the apparatus will be so arranged that gravity acts on the liquid allowing it to fall uniformly.

FIG. 14 illustrates a membraneless absorber in a case 900 in which the phase-conversion membrane 955 is dispensed via centrally located, rotating concentric hollow tube and supported on a thin film 950. The core consists of two concentric tubes 910, 920 each with orifices 940, 960 that reach the surface without mixing with the fluids derived from any of the other concentric tubes. On the perimeter of the housing is found two, cylindrically oriented plenums 930, 970. One is for delivery of gas, feed or sweep, under pressure. The other is for collection of phase-conversion membrane emitted by the rotating hollow tube core. The stripper portion of the conjoint device would be similar. In this design, unlike that of FIG. 11 centrifugal force drives the fluid distribution. Gas distribution is still delivered via a pump. The discussion here relates to flat circular arrays. The gases can flow in the opposite direction to yield a co-current arrangement just as readily.

FIG. 15 illustrates a membraneless reactor in which the phase-conversion membrane is dispensed via centrally located concentric hollow tube and supported on a thin filaments or is unsupported. In this design, unlike that of FIG. 12, centrifugal force drives the fluid distribution. Gas distribution may be delivered via a pump or centrifugally. This embodiment utilizes a body 1000 containing three concentric core tubes 1010, 1020, 1030 for the feed, phase-conversion membrane and sweep, or retentate, phase-conversion membrane and permeate or any other such combination or order. Each tube has rectilinear orifices that reach the surface without mixing with the fluids derived from any of the other concentric tubes 1070, 1080, 1090. On the perimeter are three stacked plenums 1040, 1050, 1060. In a counter-current mode the uppermost 1050 delivers feed gas that is ultimately captured via the orifices 1070 leading to the outermost and largest area core tube thereby becoming the retentate tube 1010. The middle tube 1020 delivers the phase-conversion membrane 2000 that is distributed towards the casing perimeter by virtue of the rotation of the central tube. The phase-conversion membrane is then collected in the perimetric plenum 1050. The third perimetric plenum 1060 provides the sweep fluid that, in turn, is collected in the centermost of the concentric tubes 1030 via penetrating non-communicating orifices 1090. The order of the concentric tubes and the fluids delivered thereby can be altered as needed and as is known in the art. In these designs it is possible for all fluids to emanate from the three concentric hollow tubes in the core of this apparatus. It is also possible to deliver one or more gases.

In another embodiment, the reactor is configured such that extraction and enrichment occur in the same casing. FIG. 11 illustrates a rectilinear design in FIG. 11. In this case three fluid streams are in motion—feed, phase-conversion membrane and sweep.

In another embodiment, hollow fibers emanate from the central tube or the plenum and phase-conversion membrane thereby receives partial support. It should be noted that in place of plenums for collection of the fluid, especially the phaseconversion membrane, one can use a pitot tube or other applicable art.

In embodiments lacking any solid physical support for the phase-separation membrane the transmembrane pressures should be about equal to prevent breakthrough.

5.6 GANGING OF REACTORS

Further, we can optimize the aquatic chemistry to the specific needs of the extraction protocol. Thus, it is possible to gang reactors of this type simply by connecting the feed hollow fibers in series while the sweep hollow fibers in each optimized module operate independently.

Ultimately, one unique advantage of this design is the decoupling between the number of hollow fibers, the specific surface areas, the flow velocities for the feed, the sweep and the phase-conversion membrane, the local extraction efficiency and the fiber lengths.

It is also possible to concatenate such designs such that the retentate, the permeate or the contained phase-conversion membrane having passed through one reactor can be handed to a second with different operating properties. For example, should we wish to clean up synthesis gas and remove both carbon dioxide and methane to leave a stream heavily enriched in hydrogen we might proceed as follows: the gas feed stream first passes through an X-Y-Z orthogonal reactor using hydrophobic microporous hollow fibers capable of removing carbon dioxide by means of a salt, buffer and enzyme (carbonic anhydrase) contained phase-conversion membrane, then the retentate passes through a second reactor containing hydrophilic microporous hollow fibers and utilizing an organic solvent suitable for removal of the methane. A Kelvin design could be used wherein the transfer phase-conversion membrane is captured in pores in a polymer support of 50 nm diameter or less, the exact diameter determined by the vapor pressure of the phase-conversion membrane given the operating temperature and pressure and the respective flow rates. The product of this conjoint processing is a stream of nearly pure hydrogen.

The exemplary procedures and results described in the Examples section below provides further detailed description of the invention for the skilled technician.

6. EXAMPLES

The above-described methods, apparatuses and reactors have been used for the selective extraction of gases, such as carbon dioxide, from a variety of mixed gas streams including air, carbon dioxide in oxygen, respiratory gas, flue gas, landfill gas and natural gas.

In a preferred embodiment, the methods, apparatuses and reactors of the invention can extract carbon dioxide from a variety of feed gas streams. For example, for a feed stream of 5% carbon dioxide the permeate, free of argon and water vapor free gas is as much as 95% carbon dioxide. Similarly, for a 10% feed the permeate is 96% and for a 20% feed the permeate is 97% carbon dioxide.

The methods, apparatuses and reactors of the invention can be used to extract oxygen from mixed gas streams as well using a phase-conversion membrane in conjunction with hollow-fiber partition membranes. The enzyme catalyst superoxide dismutase immobilized to the feed gas hollow fibers, reacts with oxygen yield hydrogen peroxide. On being transported across the phase-conversion membrane to contact the sweep gas, the hollow fibers that have immobilized to them superoxide dismutase, the peroxide is transformed to back into oxygen, in purified form, for deposition into the sweep stream. A design of this kind can also be used to extract methane from mixed gas streams as noted above.

These various features and options provide a new class of membrane reactor with, as demonstrated, exhibits amazingly high permeance while also showing very high selectivity.

6.1 Example I

A reactor according to the invention was constructed with hollow-fiber partition membranes of Celgard X30-240 hollow fiber mats with the 1:1 ratio of hollow fibers in the sweep sheet to the hollow fibers in the feed sheet. These microporous hollow fibers have an OD of 300 micrometers and an ID of 240 micrometers. The porosity was 40% and the pores had an oval shape of 40 nm and 100 nm, respectively. Each cm width of hollow-fiber partition membrane contains 20 hollow fibers.

The hollow-fiber partition membranes were separated by a cellulosic material, a structured cotton cheesecloth known as scrim available in several thicknesses from 60 micrometers to 200 micrometers. The hollow-fiber partition membranes had an operational length of 10 cm in each the X and Y directions. The hollow-fiber partition membranes were arranged in an X-Y pattern and the phase-conversion membrane was delivered in the Z direction.

The hollow-fiber partition membranes were constructed by layering on a rubber gasket, alternate layers of cellulosic spacer, hollow-fiber partition membranes in the X direction, cellulosic spacer, hollow-fiber partition membranes in the Y direction, etc., culminating in another rubber gasket.

Each layer was coated on the edge with an epoxy such that the hollow fibers extended beyond the end of the casing. Upon curing of the epoxy, the extending hollow fibers were cut with a sharp edge to leave the bore side patent.

Another rubber gasket permitted the mounting of a plenum on each of the four sides to allow complete access to the bores of each of the hollow-fiber partition membranes in the X and Y directions.

Hollow-fiber partition membranes ranged from one feed and one sweep set to as many as 10 multiples thereof. The surface area for each the feed and sweep hollow-fiber partition membranes was 0.019 m². The total cross-sectional are each of the hollow fiber tubeset bores was 4.52E-8 m² for each sheet. The volume enclosed on the shell side of the phase-conversion membrane was about 100 ml.

The phase-conversion membrane fluid flowed at a rate ranging from 0 ml/min to 150 ml/min and the residence time of the fluid was 40 seconds. The feed gas flow rate ranged from 400 to 1200 ml/min. The sweep side gas flow rate ranged from 400 to 1200 ml/min. The makeup of the feed gas was dry, carbon dioxide free air to which was added known amounts of carbon dioxide where the air and carbon dioxide were each delivered to a mixing bowl via a NIST certifiable Environics brand computerized mass flow controller.

The makeup of the sweep gas ranged from argon to water vapor, the latter facilitated by a mild vacuum applied to the permeate port where the vacuum pressure was 6 kPa abs. Gas exiting in the retentate or the permeate streams was measured by means of a regularly calibrated ABB Extrel brand residual gas analyzing mass spectrometer.

In one set of experiments, using 1% carbon dioxide, the permeance for a 200 micrometers thick phase-conversion membrane was 3.80E-9 molm² s Pa when the phase-conversion membrane was water, 2.96E-9 mo/m² s Pa when using 0.2M phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 and 1.28E-8 molm² s Pa when carbonic anhydrase, 133 micromolar was added to the 1M NaHCO₃ buffer. The selectivity vs. nitrogen was 200:1 and was 100:1 vs. oxygen for a phase-conversion membrane containing carbonic anhydrase. Comparable permeance values for a 10% carbon dioxide feed were 9.70B-9 mol/m² s Pa. The selectivity vs. nitrogen was 147:1 and 85:1 vs. oxygen. For a 15% carbon dioxide feed the permeance value was 8.67E-9 mo/m² s Pa. The selectivity vs. nitrogen was 131:1 and 78:1 vs. oxygen.

6.2 Example 2

This example is similar to Example 1 except the that ratio of hollow fibers in the feed sheet to the hollow fibers in the sweep sheet there was 1:2 in one instance and 1:4 in another. Hollow-fiber partition membrane spacing ranged from “0” micrometers (no cellulosic material) to 600 micrometers. The effect of increasing the hollow-fiber partition membrane ratio was negligible in terms of permeance and selectivity. The effect of increasing the spacer thickness was to decrease permeance with no change in selectivity.

6.3 Example 3

A spiral wound hollow-fiber partition membrane reactor (not shown) was constructed in which the Celgard X30-240 fibers were in the X-X′ direction and the phase-conversion membrane flowed in the X″ direction. There was a 1:1 ratio of hollow fibers in the sweep sheet to the hollow fibers in the feed sheet. The spacer thickness was 300 micrometers.

The reactor consisted of a total of 180 feed fibers and 180 sweep fibers hollow-fiber partition membranes and 330 micrometers spacers for a total hollow fiber surface area of 0.03 m². The phase-conversion membrane volume was 20 ml. In this construction, the hollow-fiber partition membrane fibers were unbundled at the ends and gathered together into a hollow-fiber partition membrane. The OD of the stainless steel reactor tube body was 1.6 cm and the length is 19 cm.

In one set of experiments using 1% carbon dioxide the permeance for a 330 micron thick phase-conversion membrane was 8.30E-10 mol/m² s Pa when the phase-conversion membrane was water, 1.75E-9 mol/m² s Pa when using phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 and 4.70E-9 mol/m² s Pa when carbonic anhydrase, 166.7 micromolar was added to the phosphate buffer. The selectivity vs. nitrogen was 76:1 and 56:1 vs. oxygen

Those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as described herein. The descriptions are provided for illustration and not for limitation. The invention is defined and limited by the claims set out below. 

1-23. (canceled)
 24. A method of isolating a component gas from a mixed gas stream comprising (a) contacting the mixed gas stream with a first partition membrane comprising a hollow fiber to yield a permeate comprising the component gas; (b) contacting the permeate with a phase-conversion membrane to convert the component gas into a second phase; and (c) releasing the component gas from the second phase, wherein the component gas is purified.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the phase partition membrane comprises a hydrophilic porous material, a hydrophobic porous material, a ceramic porous material, a sintered metal porous material, carbon nanotubes, porous polypropylene, porous polyperfluroethylene, a porous hydrocarbon polymer, a porous polyamide, or a porous polycarbonate.
 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the partition membrane comprises hollow fiber.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the hollow fiber has an outer diameters in the range from about 100 microns to about 400 microns.
 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the hollow fiber has a bore diameter in the range from about 10 microns to about 300 microns.
 29. (canceled)
 30. The method of claim 24, wherein the phase conversion membrane comprises a phase conversion catalyst.
 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the phase-conversion catalyst comprises an enzyme.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the enzyme comprises carbonic anhydrase.
 33. The method of claim 24, wherein the phase conversion membrane comprises water.
 34. The method of claim 24, further comprising contacting the purified component gas with a second partition membrane.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first partition membrane is stacked on the second partition membrane and a space is defined between the first partition membrane and the second partition membrane.
 36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the space includes the phase conversion membrane.
 37. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the hollow fibers of the first partition membrane are oriented at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to an orientation of the hollow fibers in the second partition membrane. 38-46. (canceled)
 47. A gas separation apparatus comprising a spiral wound reactor body, the reactor body comprising a membrane reactor bag, which membrane reactor bag comprises a feed sheet and a sweep sheet, the membrane reactor bag in fluid communication with a perforated hollow fiber, wherein the perforated hollow fiber comprises a phase-conversion membrane.
 48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the phase conversion membrane comprises water.
 49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the phase conversion membrane comprises a phase conversion catalyst.
 50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the phase conversion catalyst comprises an enzyme.
 51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the enzyme is carbonic anhydrase.
 52. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising a casing for housing the spiral wound reactor body, a feed port, a retentate port a sweep port, a permeate port, a phase conversion-membrane-delivery port, and a phase-conversion-membrane-recovery port.
 53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the phase conversion membrane comprises water.
 54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the phase-conversion membrane comprises a phase conversion catalyst.
 55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the phase-conversion catalyst comprises an enzyme.
 56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the enzyme comprises carbonic anhydrase. 57-72. (canceled)
 73. A membraneless absorber comprising a case, the case comprising a phase-conversion membrane dispensed via a centrally located, concentric hollow tube and supported on a thin film, further comprising two concentric tubes each with orifices that reach the surface, the perimeter of the case comprising two, cylindrically oriented plenums.
 74. The absorber of claim 73, wherein the phase-conversion membrane comprises water.
 75. The absorber of claim 73, wherein the phase-conversion membrane comprises a phase conversion catalyst.
 76. The absorber of claim 75, wherein the phase conversion catalyst comprises an enzyme.
 77. The absorber of claim 76, wherein the enzyme comprises carbonic anhydrase. 